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Left-hander Wilson Alvarez, a surprise last season after spending the first two months in the minors, agreed Thursday to a $1.5 million, one-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
``Wilson was an integral part of our pitching staff and the success it enjoyed in 2003,'' Dodgers general manager Dan Evans said. ``He is a competitor and brings a great deal of experience and flexibility to our staff.''
Alvarez was 6-2
with a 2.37 ERA in 12 starts and nine relief appearances last season. He was
invited to spring training as a non-roster player and began the year at Triple-A
Las Vegas, where he went 5-1 with a 1.34 ERA in eight starts.
The Dodgers purchased Alvarez's contract on June 7 and he spent the remainder
of the season with them. Ticketmaster. He entered the rotation for good on Aug.
9 when he pitched seven shutout innings against the Chicago Cubs.
Alvarez pitched 25 scoreless innings from Sept. 7 to Sept. 23, the longest streak by a Dodgers pitcher since Chan Ho Park pitched 25 scoreless innings to finish the 2000 season.
He has a 94-82 record with a 3.93 ERA in 294 major league games, including 246 starts. Alvarez's 94 wins are the most in big-league history by a native of Venezuela.
The 33-year-old Alvarez could earn another $1 million in performance bonuses based on starts and innings pitched.